The Extension Connection

Parent educators in Extension’s Partnering with Parents program participate in an activity that examined coping skills.

2003 FALL ISSUE

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Last update: October 2003

A quarterly publication of Iowa State University Extension

ISU Extension 'trains the trainers' in parenting education

The Partnering with Parents program helps educators strengthen their delivery of parenting education throughout Iowa. It’s one of several family programs offered by Iowa State University Extension.

According to Kim Greder, ISU Extension family life state specialist, Partnering with Parents is interactive and results-oriented. “The goal is to help parents raise their children, and ISU staff and faculty work with family practitioners to help them adopt practices that are strength-based and family-centered.”

Partnering with Parents helps learners critically reflect on personal biases and assumptions and how each influences their work with parents and families. “The result is an engaged, learning community of family professionals, volunteers and families, all working to promote trust, respect and collaboration,” Greder said.

Sheila Buckingham, with Scicap Headstart in Leon, agrees that programs like Partnering with Parents are needed. “In southern Iowa, we see a large need for instruction in parenting issues, and in Headstart especially, we catch an awful lot of those issues early on. And since we serve many Russian, Hispanic and other immigrants, taking a broader look at families — beyond what was once the basic southern Iowa family — helps us become much more versatile.”

Partnering with Parents training is offered in a series of modules — equal to 10 full training days spread over six months. It’s delivered through face-to-face group settings, online learning activities and assigned readings.

Buckingham said the training is effective. “It’s different from most instruction. Initially, it makes you look at your perspective and your personal style; then it makes you think about what might influence your work with parents. Professors from several different areas present, representing lots of personality styles. And taking part of the class online was a new experience for me, but I was really satisfied with it. Sharing with all the participants on email and being able to make comments on each other’s work was especially good.

“Part of my job is to get this information to our teachers,” Buckingham said. “Partnering with Parents has given me more information to provide — and not just about parenting education. It’s helped me in understanding different types of learners in each group and become more effective with my entire audience.”